


the world moves on too fast (i’m the only one who’s limping on both legs)

by neverwhere (nekrateholic)



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 04:10:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7207238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekrateholic/pseuds/neverwhere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thus, Wonshik, who has never finished an entire poetry book in his life, nevermind in one sitting, is two thirds into this one by the time Jung Taekwoon walks in and takes one of the chairs arranged in the middle of the reading room.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the world moves on too fast (i’m the only one who’s limping on both legs)

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I should warn you that the Leo/Ravi is only in Ravi's head?
> 
> the title is from Epik High's Run  
> (can you tell I'm a FOB fan by the length of it?)

‘Come on, come on! We’ll miss him.’ Jaehwan practically drags him through the crosswalk just as the light changes from yellow to red. Wonshik winces at the sound of abruptly hit breaks from either side of him and sends a quick mental apology to whatever cars they just ran in front of. And a prayer they get to the library in one piece. There’s this indie poet having a reading there today and Jaehwan sort of knows him – knows his agent, really, but he’s facebook friends with the poet and demands that counts as well. That aside, Jaehwan has been talking about how he – the poet – and Wonshik are basically soulmates for the past two months. Taekwoon, Wonshik reminds himself. His name is Taekwoon. He mouths it a few times, trying to imagine how it would sound if he ever got the chance to address him by it.

At first Wonshik just ignored Jaehwan's babbling, but at some point he’d given in and stalked the guy on facebook and – he’s really hot, okay? In the deep, mysterious way that art people usually are and that, coupled with the few poems Jaehwan sent him had Wonshik panic-calling Jaehwan about how he might or might not have the hots for a person he doesn’t even know. Jaehwan, the traitor, had just cackled in between countless ‘I-told-you-so’-s. 

Now they are in the library almost an hour early because Jaehwan wants to catch up with the agent – his name is Sanghyuk and he’s younger than both of them. He’s nice and smiley towards Jaehwan and Wonshik, by extension but when it comes down to managing issues he’s fearsome – he bosses everyone like nobody’s business and Wonshik's pretty sure at least two of the librarians are hiding in the bathroom right now. The poet himself is not here yet and Wonshik decides to get himself more acquainted with his work (which doubles as a great excuse to run away and pretend he’s never met Jaehwan in his life, because seriously, who makes so much noise in a freaking library). So he buys Taekwoon’s second book and retreats to the corner of the reading room, where it’s less likely people will bother him.

He gets to the third poem before he closes the book, his finger on the page he’s on, and stares blankly at the row of shelves filled with old hardcovers on the opposite wall of the room. See, Wonshik isn’t much of a poetry person – which is kind of ironic since he lives and breathes music – but most of the modern poetry is of the kind that just looks like very short stories written on skype where people are too lazy to write more than three words before hitting enter. Pretty words, indeed, but to be honest, the rhythm is lost on Wonshik and rhythm is all he ever wants, really. These, though. They are exactly the kind of poems Wonshik dislikes but there’s something about them – the words hit close to home more often than not and they sound like music in his head in a way music itself never has and… It’s an intense experience. Thus, Wonshik, who has never finished an entire poetry book in his life, nevermind in one sitting, is two thirds into this one by the time Jung Taekwoon walks in and takes one of the chairs arranged in the middle of the reading room. 

Taekwoon in person is, in a way, different than facebook Taekwoon. When it comes to appearance – it’s not as flashy, he looks way more human than he ever did on those artsy black-and-white pictures. The pictures could never catch the charm that Taekwoon has on him. It’s the polar opposite of Jaehwan’s charm though. Where Jaehwan is loud and cute and it’s basically impossible to not love him – Taekwoon is quiet but confident, says the bare minimum, but smiles every time someone asks a question about his poems and you can tell from miles how passionate he is about what he does. It sends Wonshik’s mind reeling and he really, really tries not to – but in the end still imagines what it would be like if this beautiful man uses his words for him. It might be Jaehwan’s teasing for the past two months or the way he knows he’s already in way over in his head, but Wonshik’s heart swells.

When Taekwoon gets to signing books, though, Wonshik finds said heart in his throat and words very much fail him, so he hides in small crowd next to the signing table until Jaehwan literally pushes him in front of it. Taekwoon smiles at him and Wonshik says his name and thinks, this is it, do something. He gathers every ounce of himself that is not speechless in the face of this man and goes ‘Um.’

Taekwoon looks up at him expectantly so he clears his throat and continues ‘So, poetry and me don’t really get along most of the time, but-’

‘But you get along with mine?’ Taekwoon’s smile widens, it’s dangerously close to a smirk and Wonshik is pretty sure he’s blushing by now.

‘Yeah, I do. I spent the last hour avoiding socialization in that corner with your book.’

Taekwoon smiles again and starts writing. It’s somewhat anticlimactic when Wonshik sees exactly what he’d expected written on the first page.

‘Give poetry another chance. It’s worth it.’

 

Jaehwan drags him to the dinner after the reading as well, even though Wonshik is pretty sure his heart can’t take anymore of Taekwoon’s general being tonight. Jaehwan immediately takes the seat next to Sanghyuk, which leaves Wonshik next to Taekwoon. Jaehwan waggles his eyebrows every time Taekwoon is looking at his menu and Wonshik really wants to kick him under the table but there’s a chance he’d hit Sanghyuk as well and that would be just awkward. He settles for glaring instead. Jaehwan pretends to play with his phone and snaps a picture of them and Wonshik is really tempted to ‘accidently’ spill his wine on Jaehwan's head (they even drink wine the same way, Wonshik notes – without ice, and the butterflies in his stomach multiply). 

Wonshik needn’t have worried, though. He spills his wine a few minutes later anyway. He’s mortified and really, now would be a good time for the ground to open and swallow him whole, but everyone just shrugs it away as Jaehwan calls the waitress over to clean it up. Taekwoon even helps him reset his side of the table and pours his wine. The conversation picks up from there but they start talking about things Wonshik really has no idea, nevermind an opinion, about. Jaehwan has no problem with it, being his usual bubbly self and having the added advantage of knowing Sanghyuk beforehand. Wonshik tries to chime in to their conversation whenever he can, he really tries, but by the end he feels so nervous and strained that the one time he actually has Taekwoon’s full attention he speaks really loud and slightly incoherent, judging by Taekwoon’s confused expression, so Wonshik promptly says ‘nevermind’, shuts up and silently vows never to speak again.

By the time Sanghyuk asks for the check Wonshik has already managed to convince himself he’s a sad piece of shit that does not deserve to be in Taekwoon’s presence and Jaehwan is sending him worried looks.

They decide to walk Sanghyuk and Taekwoon back to their hotel and Jaehwan offers to show them around the city at night. Sanghyuk declines but Taekwoon has never been here before and he’s curious. That’s how the three of them find themselves in the old part of town at midnight. Jaehwan is trying to strike up a conversation but Wonshik is still too raw from dinner and by the time he’s gotten himself together enough to form actual sentences, Jaehwan and Taekwoon are already deep in conversations about the stars and the universe and – Wonshik just stays silent. It’s not like Wonshik is stupid, he knows he isn’t, but they keep talking about things he has no idea about and the anxiety slowly starts crawling up his spine again. Jaehwan keeps sending him worried looks though, and at some point he forcibly shifts Taekwoon’s attention to Wonshik. It happens, then, the magic. They talk about music and books and Taekwoon smiles at him and doesn’t even glance in Jaehwan’s direction and Wonshik thinks yes, this is it-

And the spell is broken by Sanghyuk calling, asking if Taekwoon has something for headaches, which he does, so he has to go back to the hotel. They walk him there once again, even though Taekwoon insists he knows the way. Jaehwan hugs him goodbye, so Wonshik hugs him too, but he pulls away way too quickly in fear of holding on for too long.

 

‘Are you okay?’ Jaehwan asks as soon as Taekwoon is out of earshot and every promise Wonshik made to himself that night crumbles. He doesn’t even make it to Jaehwan’s apartment before he starts crying.

 

The next day holds another reading and Wonshik is this close to bailing but Jaehwan gives him the pep talk of pep talks and he ends up going anyway. 

Which is how he witnesses Taekwoon’s entire face lighting up when a man with a bouquet of daisies comes in halfway into the reading and goes to stand in the back of the room. Wonshik isn’t even surprised when Sanghyuk introduces them later – Hakyeon, Taekwoon’s boyfriend for two years. He can’t even bring himself to hate the man, because they look so good together – Hakyeon is a bit like Jaehwan, open and bubbly, and incredibly kind - they complement each other well, even without the lovesick puppy looks they keep giving each other. Wonshik somehow leaves with promises they’d get together again sometime and Hakyeon's number in his contacts. It's deleted as soon as he's out of the building and tries to convince himself he's not an asshole for doing it.

This time he gets home, his own home, waving off Jaehwan’s concerned looks. He friends both Taekwoon and Hakyeon on facebook, and his timeline is instantly filled with smiley selfies of them and the bouquet and the books. He likes most of them and then proceeds to scroll Taekwoon’s profile two years back. It’s not until hours later that he finally gives up, goes to bed even though the sun hasn’t even set yet, and cries himself to sleep.


End file.
